Role purpose

Directors are responsible for managing a division or office. The main focus of Director positions is strategic leadership, innovation and management. Most typically as a member of a departmental management team, they are responsible for managing and supervising the delivery of a division's programme of work within an allocated budget.

In particular, the Regional Director manages and co-ordinates the delivery of the Regional portfolio and priorities and is responsible for its human, financial and material IFAD's resources.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• VISION AND STRATEGY: Directors at IFAD are responsible for developing and promoting a strategic vision that translates the organization's corporate and departmental mandates, strategies, goals, and objectives into a divisional programme of work. They ensure that the division's activities are integrated with the overall Fund mandates and strategies and participate in the design of IFAD's strategic approaches. Directors set and communicate clear objectives and are accountable for the division being seen as a credible and trusted partner in managing for results and as an innovator in its field.

• POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND ADVICE: Directors provide leadership in the development and interpretation of major policies, regulations and rules, and systems that govern the work of a division and ensure they support divisional goals and objectives within the overall Fund mandates and strategies. Directors also serve as a trusted business/programme advisor with a significant role in authoritative policy advice within the Fund at the senior management level as well as in policy dialogue in their representational activities.

• PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT: Directors provide leadership in all phases of the division's medium term planning and management, including operational requirements such as:
  • Establishing annual work plans.
  • Ensuring regular programme assessment.
  • Identifying opportunities for innovation and implementation of best practices generated within the Fund as well as in peer organizations, both private and public.
  • Reviewing and innovating core processes of the division in order to achieve better efficiency and effectiveness, as well as financial sustainability of operations.
  • Enhancing synergy among divisional staff and holding staff accountable for results.
  • Ensuring the preparation of all divisional publications, reports and governing bodies documents.
  • Providing quality control of the program of work.
  • Mentoring and coaching of staff, providing on-the-job learning opportunities.
  • Fostering collaboration and learning between teams, in the region and across divisions.

• MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES: Directors are responsible for ensuring the transparent, equitable, and efficient management of IFAD's resources, including human, financial, and material resources. This includes managing staff through workforce planning, recruitment, performance management, and career development. Directors are also responsible for managing the division's budget, ensuring accountability and fiduciary integrity. Additionally, they are responsible for managing material resources and promoting knowledge and content management to achieve innovative outcomes and cost-effective processes. Directors also leverage information technology to improve business results, reporting processes, and client services.

• REPRESENTATION AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS: Directors serve as designated representatives of the Fund. They catalyse effective partnerships with a broad range of institutions including borrowers, bilateral and multilateral development agencies, UN agencies, funds and programmes, international financial institutions (IFIs), non-governmental organizations and academic institutions for the purpose of programme co-operation, knowledge sharing, policy dialogue and/or resource mobilization. Directors represent the Fund in official United Nations committees and networks, and in IFIs, multilateral and bilateral meetings, symposia, fora and Global conferences upon request of the President, and build organizational networks with peers in major private, public and international institutions.

In addition, the Regional Director coordinates activities and communications among people, agencies and international organizations in the Region assigned.

Key Performance Indicators

Directors establish IFAD's priorities and provide leadership to division-level programme and operational management activities, ensuring a results-based approach to meeting assigned goals and objectives.

Leadership activities include the optimal utilization of human, financial, technology, and material resources for greater efficiency and effectiveness.

Working Relationships

Directors are responsible for building and maintaining strong working relationships both within and outside of IFAD. Internally, Directors provide strategic advice to senior management and collaborate with other divisions to ensure effective coordination of programme planning and activities.

Externally, Directors develop strategic partnerships with a range of institutions, including borrowers, development agencies, UN agencies, and non-governmental organizations, for the purpose of programme cooperation, knowledge sharing, policy dialogue, and resource mobilization. Directors also represents IFAD in official committees, meetings, and conferences, and build organizational networks with peers in major private, public, and international financial institutions.

DCO Directors oversee the well-functioning of the Regional office and other in country offices and have the responsibility of ensuring a 'one team' approach to operations across country offices and divisions.

Profile

Organizational Competencies

• Building relationships and partnerships – Builds and maintains strategic partnerships internally and externally.
• Communicating and negotiating – Acquires & uses a wide range of communication styles & skills.
• Demonstrating leadership – Leads by example; initiates and supports change.
• Focusing on clients – Contributes to a client-focused culture.
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating – Challenges, innovates & contributes to learning culture.
• Managing performance and developing staff – Manages wider teams with greater impact on others and on the organization.
• Managing time, resources and information – Coordinates wider use of time, information and/or resources.
• Problem-solving and decision-making – Solves complex problems and makes decisions that have wider corporate impact.
• Strategic thinking and organizational development – Staff in management and/or strategic leadership roles.
• Team working – Fosters a cohesive team environment.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) – Development Economics, Political Science or Agriculture and Horticulture.
• Areas – rural development, agriculture, rural finance, development policy or other job related fields, with a preference for economics.
• Degree must be an accredited institution listed on https://www.whed.net/

Experience

• At least twelve (12) years of progressively responsible professional experience in technically related area of operations in a multilateral organization or national organization providing support on a global scope including experience in project/programme design and implementation.
• Five (5) years in a multi-cultural organization or national organization providing support on a global scope.
• Demonstrated experience and ability at leading and managing multicultural teams is required.
• Knowledge and working experience in Latin America and the Caribbean is essential.

Languages

• Required: English and Spanish (4 – Excellent) and a knowledge of Portuguese and/or French is an advantage.

Skills

• Advocacy: Ability to leverage IFAD knowledge and/or communication materials to maintain and promote constructive dialogue around IFAD`s vision and strategic priorities with external factors.
• Policy dialogue: Know-how in the effective dialogue with ministries of finance, explaining lending terms and providing advice for debt management.
• Risk management (e.g. reputational): Identification and assessment of potential liabilities and risks in IFAD's activities, particularly vis-à-vis third parties; ability to handle risks via contingency and mitigation strategies.
• Strategy implementation: Ability to lead and manage the development and implementation of medium to longer-term strategies for IFAD / for respective divisions.
• Planning: Know-how in the planning of human, financial and material management of IFAD resources.
• Resources management: Know-how in the management of human, financial and material management of IFAD resources.
• Change management: Role modelling, anticipation of key risks & conflicts and formulation of contingency plans/solutions, action-oriented.
• Confidentiality & Discretion: Establishes self and division as trusted advisor to internal stakeholders by maintaining high level of discretion and confidentiality in assignments; demonstrates sound judgement when dealing with sensitive and/or confidential matters; drives good governance and is a "Culture Carrier" demonstrating IFAD institutional conscience through the work.
• Corporate approach: Ability to bring in corporate vision and priorities into one's area of work (e.g. budgeting going beyond simple budgetary considerations, taking into account strategic priorities).
• Leadership: Group thought leader, sought out by others and providing mentorship and effective guidance to others; Ability to build trust, inside and outside the organization by acting as a role model for IFAD's core values and competencies, and to provide a clear sense of direction, mentorship and effective guidance to the team, strategizing the IFAD's goals, giving the vision, empowering the team and ensuring a positive environment for all.
• Political acumen: Ability to conduct sound political analysis and understand complex environments, providing options and advice.
• Specialized communication skills: Ability to negotiate on behalf of IFAD and drive for creative and pragmatic solutions in complex negotiations with key partners, both public and private sector.
• Evidence-based policy: Know-how in the formulation of concrete and actionable policy recommendations based on hard evidence (going beyond simple data interpretation).
• Programme/Project development, management: Know-how in Programme/Project development, implementation, management.

Other Information

IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD. In accordance with IFAD's Human Resources Policy, the President can decide to assign them to any of the activities of the Fund. All International Professional staff members are required to be geographically mobile and positions in the professional category are subject to changes in location at any time in line with strategic priorities and reform initiatives in IFAD.

Terms of Appointment

This is a D-1 position.

Role Location

Panama City, Panama

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please ensure you complete the Application Form provided below by 29 January 2025 (23:59 hrs, GMT +1). It is essential that you submit your CV in English, specifically in Microsoft Word format (.doc/.docx), not exceeding 10MB.

Applications in other languages or formats will not be considered.

Rest assured, all information will be handled with the utmost confidentiality.

SRI Executive is exclusively retained by IFAD to undertake this assignment.